


When the Time Comes You'll Know

by RikkuLoveLace



Category: Ed Edd n Eddy
Genre: Cancer, F/F, F/M, High School, M/M, death of parents, music quirk, nervous quirk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2018-03-19
Packaged: 2018-05-08 12:52:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 23,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5497715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RikkuLoveLace/pseuds/RikkuLoveLace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is my first interweb posting of my very personal OTP writings. Please don't judge me. It will probably be a ridiculously long chapter "book" with not very long chapters.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eddward Vincent knew that high school probably be the worst thing that had ever happened to him. His parents died when he was thirteen. The had left Edd a fortune and everyone had begun to tease him worse, even though the Ed Boys scam antics had stopped. He lived a completely different life now, almost like a new person. Will things ever start to get better for him? Will he ever open back up to the world? When the time comes, you'll know.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Well this is Edd now

**Author's Note:**

> Don't hate, it's my first time posting my work.

Things were different. Things had changed. Edd's parents had died two years, they left him everything. A fortune, a house, and a very important family name. Edd couldn't care less about those things. For even though his parents were never there, to begin with, they now would not even have the option to come home. Eddward life changed drastically since that day. The images he was forced to see that day shocked him enough to give him extreme trauma. Which gave him a real personality check. He overcame his OCD and his study habits and became just a regular guy. He was of course, still the smartest kid in all of Peach Creek, and he was still exceptionally tidy about his living habits but both of these things were no longer on purpose. Edd had become a shut-in to his home for a few months at first, even to his best friends. This was when he developed his new style and personality. He became a borderline punk-rock style kid who loved anime, video games, manga, and all things nerdy. He also started to on and off date a girl he had been close friends with behind the other Ed's back. The other two Ed's knew her but not necessarily of their on and off dating. Even if it must have been slightly obvious to everyone else, Eddy and Ed are still a little slow on emotional levels. Rikku was from Hale, and her name was Rikku LoveLace. God, she was spunky, and perfect for Edd's new image, granted they were still just close friends which is why they were on and off. Rikku was a short Asian girl who was into bright colors and alternative music. They had never thought of doing anything serious. And hardly had done much more than handholding because Edd still couldn't shake all his old habits. Touching other people was still one of them. His shut-in life did, of course, allow him to become closer to his friends. He was also a good bit more shy about certain things now, however, he was also sort of an asshole about others too. He was a totally new guy. But at the same time, he was just the same old Double D, who gets picked on more than ever now that his parents aren't here. 

Double D wasn't really thrown off by much anymore, but he'd be a total liar if he said he wasn't scared about the first day of high school in two days. All his bullies, his fears, and his anxieties are all flooding back. He wasn't sure what could happen but he was sure it wouldn't be good.


	2. The First Firsts of Many

Eddward was always accompanied by his friends while walking to and from school. However today was the first time walking to their first day of high school.

"It's the first, firsts of many today!" Edd had said to his fellow Ed's.

"I wonder if they serve toast at breakfast like they did in middle school!" The biggest of the Ed's replied, his mouth already drooling at the thought.

"Well Ed now you're a big boy and you're supposed to make you're own toast before school!" Eddy had said rather rudely. 

"But Eddy! I didn't make any toast today!" Ed wailed.

So Double Dee had ended up spending the morning making breakfast for them so Ed could have his toast on his big first day. 

As they walked down the street Edd looked down at his first day outfit, a pair of grey skinny jeans, a pair of plain black converse, a 21 Pilot BlurryFace shirt, and a reversible Nightmare Before Christmas Jacket on with the Jack side out. And of course his signature ski beanie with two white stripes. Nothing that give out hints on his old life but everything that will scream out his new one.   
Once the high school came into view his palms slightly started sweating. He could see fields of strangers, and only several familiar faces. He saw Kevin and Nazz, chatting it up with the baseball team, Rolf with a bunch of people wearing blue jackets which were probably FFA kids. Edd saw all these faces but not the one he was after until he heard her laugh. Rikku was standing by the Kanker sister making a joke which was honestly, most likely just a shitty pun. Or really good which either way implies it's a bad joke. She loves puns though. Which is some how comforting. She makes a bunch of terrible dad jokes all the time and it could make Edd just want to shun her for several hours, yet hug her at the same time. Once she caught sight of him she waved to him with her hand by her side and wiggled her fingers. She bid her fair wells to the Kankers and then jogged over to the Ed's who were all chitter chatting happily to one another. She loops her arm into Edd's and begins walking with them. The closer they get to the door, the tenser he begins to get. 

"Hey, calm down Edd, it won't be that bad, you're just over thinking it." Rikku coaxes him.

"I really hope you're right." Edd says nervously as he pushes open the main entrance door and welcomes his high school fate.


	3. No Hats Allowed

Edd and Rikku found the office and grabbed their student planner and the rule book. Edd not having shook all his old habits he felt the need to read through it thoroughly. Which means he unlinked his arm from Rikku's since there was to be no more than hand holding, and he was almost certain that was too much. He read the whole thing aloud to Rikku until he got to the last line. He grew an instant lump in his throat.

"Hey... dude. Will you read this for me?" He mumbled to her quietly.

"No way! The all knowing Eddward needs me to read something or him!? My pleasure!" She said and she took the packet from him. "It says, 'and remember students all head wear is prohibited which includes but is not limited too; hats, helmets, bandanas, headbands, flower rings, etc.' Oh cool! I get to see you without your hat! I finally get to see those locks that occasionally peak out behind your ear!" She said bouncing with excitement. Edd hands defensively went to his hat and he pulled it a little further down.

"I can't take it off! I have to talk to the principle! He's gotta be here right? For orientation right!?" Edd tells slipping into a full blown panic. "I gotta find him!" 

"Double D, wait up!" Rikku called as he turned around and darted through the hallways to the office. When got there he burst inside and started breathlessly spewing out demands.

"I need to speak with the principle is he here! I must speak with him about one of these ridiculous rules!" He cries loudly.

"Yes, she is here and what rule it is you seem to have an issue with?" A tall, beautiful, blond women said.  
Edd stared at her for a few seconds. She was gorgeous, her lips had obviously had work done on them though. 

"The last one! I can't take off my hat!" He said desperately.

"And why is that Mr...?" She questioned.

"Vincent. Eddward 'Double D' Marion Vincent. And... I can't tell you...!I've never told anyone, but please don't do this too me!" He pleads.

"Oh, the Vincent boy. Well I'm sorry Mr. Vincent but we don't do special treatment here, and you've already broke the rule of no running in the halls. So I'm afraid there will be no exceptions for any rebels. You may take it off willingly and put it in your locker or we can confiscate it until the end of the day. It's your choice." She said sternly.

Edd put his hands up to his precious hat. He's never showed anyone what he look like without it, but this was a true sign of defeat as he pulled it off his head and released his mid-back length Raven locks. He had his hair styled as Grell Sutcliff from Black Butler which he took great pride in but he was wasn't feeling to confident about it right now. He looked up at his principle as she stood awe stricken by how much hair he hid under that hat, but he didn't care. He just felt like crying. He needed to go see the two people he had always secretly talked to more than almost anyone else. He needed to finally confess to someone, and he knew they'd understand. He turned around and walked towards the door. 

"I gotta find Nazz and Marie." He whispered to himself.


	4. Past Unraveled

Edd scoured the hallways only to jump a mile out off his skin when the bell rang. He was still on the verge of tears and the obnoxiously bell did not make it better. He was trying to collect himself when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and the voice of a very familiar red head.

"Hey babe, you lost? I got to make it to that orientation thing, but I don't mind being a little late so I can escort you." He said with his coolest voice. As Edd turned around he heard Kevin gasp and he closed his eyes and threw up his hands in fear.

"Please don't hit me." Edd hardly whispered.

"Double Dweeb?" Kevin asked, "No fucking way. Is that really you? Is this why you always wore a hat?" Kevin started laughing hysterically which pushed Edd over the line. He slowly started crying and he shoved his wave through Kevin. 

He knew in high school you couldn't be caught crying. Let alone on the first day. He wiped his eyes, and shook his head while power walking to the gym. In the old days he normally would have come a day early to tour the school and get the hang of things. But now was different, and things had changed. He would have been absolutely lost if not for the signs on practically every wall and locker giving pointed arrow directions to the 'jimnazeum'. Once he got to the gym he could hear the principles voice flooding in through speakers telling all the freshman that the orientation was about to begin find your seats an sit down and for one of the Blakeman boys to quit throwing his chewing gum at the girls. He crowd scanned as fast as possible. He couldn't find the girls at all, and Marie should not be that damn hard to find with blue hair! But they must have been Late because he couldn't find Nazz or Kevin either, which means the three of them must be together and Kevin must already be telling them. Great. Well he looked and saw he other two Edwards who were both no doubt looking for him but obviously couldn't recognize him. As a sign of defeat he walked up to the and sat in the seat in between them. 

"Hey sister, that seat is reserved, so sorry but scat!" Eddy said in the nicest mean way possible.

"It's just me Eddy." Edd said lamely.

"Double D?! Did your hat get taken from you by aliens! Like the ones in Predator vs Alien?" The largest of the Ed's said. The thing about him now is he finally quit watching all those shitty b-rated movies, but he still watches all of the fantasy and sci-fi movies he can get his hands on. No one is sure if he still believes In them or not anymore, but they try an give him the benefit of the doubt and say he doesn't he just doesn't know how to make a joke sound any different from regular talking.

"No Ed, and for once I'm a little upset that's not actually what happened." Edd said sounding almost exhausted. 

"Hey sockhead, what happened to your sock?" Eddy asked almost worried, "if someone's messing with you already let me know and I'll give 'em a pounding!" 

"No, it's nothing like that. Just a wretched hag reigning her faked lipped terror over me already. There are no hats allowed in school." Edd said heatedly while mocking her voice at the end of his sentence.

"Calm down, Double D. I haven't heard you this pissed in a long time. On a new note though, what's up with your hair? You trying to bring back the 80's? I heard chicks love big hair." Eddy said calmly. The best thing about Eddy nowadays is he really grew up when Edd's parents died. He no longer gave anyone but Kevin an exceptionally hard time. He realized what happened to Double Dee could happen to anyone and everyone. He no doubt feels bad for all of the dangerous things he ever put them all through. He was also the most protective person in his life now. The week before school started he actually convinced his parents to let them live with Edd now, since Edd would never leave his house to live somewhere else. Ed was working on that too with his parents but it was a slower process with them. They were still close like brothers in ways that no one else could understand, but this just made them closer. 

"No Eddy, it's one of my quote unquote nerdy things to be honest." Edd said shyly.

"Don't be embarrassed I actually really dig it." Eddy said proudly.

"Take your seats everyone Orientation is starting." Said the Wretched Hag herself. "For those of you who don't know, I am your Principle, Mrs. McGee, some of you probably know my son, Edward." And with that the gym exploded with mixed results. 

"WHAT? Eddy?? How could you not tell us that?!" Edd yelled over the noise.

"Because my mom really is a Wretched Hag, Double D. There's reasons I never brought you boys to my house when she was there." Eddy said while shrugging. 

"Alright everyone, calm down. I said, Settle Down." She said quite Angrily. "Everyone flip to page one of your rule book..." 

The rest of Orientation was terribly boring. And when the lunch bell broke you could have sworn it was The Running Of The Bulls being reenacted by freshman. Edd quickly spotted his blue hair beauty for a friend and noted thankfully that Nazz was still with her. He grabbed them by Their wrist and practically ran away dragging them behind him with no explanation. He sat in the grass under this old oak tree, and looked up at the girls.

"You two, sit, now. It's confession before I explode time." Edd said hurriedly.

"DOUBLE D?!" They yelled in unison.

"Oh good lord that is starting to get on my nerves. Why is it that surprising? No one has ever seen me without my hat you all knew I had to have something under my hat. And I doubt anyone thought it was anything other than hair! So please sit down you too. Lunch isn't that long and I must tell you my secret before I scream at the next person who yells my name!" Edd ranted.

"Calm down dude, and just tell us what's up? Is this seriously why you never took of your hat?" Nazz said.

"Okay when I was little, I mean very young probably about four or five, I had a brain tumor taken out of the back of my head and I have this ugly six inch scar there. Which was why my parents got me this hat. I was for a while 'special' as those assholes used to call me. I used to try as pick at my stitches before I got this hat, and then then when I got them taken out they left a horribly grotesque scar that still makes me want to vomit if I touch it without remembering what it is. When I was in the stages of my 'slow' disability I started forgetting things. Where I put stuff, and to be honest I remember that I forget how to put underwear on once. I even remember telling someone I didn't have a name because I couldn't remember it. So I became OCD with things, at one point I stared forgetting how to read so I from that point on read everything I could get my hands on. Which was pretty much just my parents medical books. Which is why I became such a book worm. And really it's the only reason why I'm so smart." Edd paused for a minute to take air.

"Holy shit Dou-" Edd cut Marie off before she could finish.

"Language Marie. I mean no, old habit sorry. I'm not done. There's more. When I was seven things seemed to be going great I had a few new quirks to work with but my 'slow' disability had actually only been temporary. I thought I had powered though it until I got to an old enough age to realized they took something the size of a baseball of off my head and it was only temporary. Which is why I was so lucky. Granted, it was only a matter of time till something else worse happened. I got leukemia. Which is rare for children. But it fast acting leukemia because of my tumor. I had to get chemotherapy and All my hair fell out. I started getting sick everytime I went outside or touched some dirty, and I almost died twice. Then one day we really thought it was going to happen. And I asked my mother to take me swimming. And as some form of miracle, I went swimming and I laid on the greenest grass for almost a full day, just soaking up sun to my awkward pale body and then my cancer just started clearing up. It was gone within a month and I haven't had any issues yet. Granted I was still a little germ freak and I never wanted to take off my hat because it took almost two years for my hair to start growing back, and then even when it did. If I combed it, it feel right out. And I'm always worried that'll happen again... but I'm over most of that, however my hat has always been my safety blanket. I feel weird and vulnerable without it and I can't believe that this women isn't going to let me wear my hat because apparently she's heard about me before somehow and she's already got a grudge against me." Edd said sadly. He looked up at the two girls slowly they were actually crying. Marie's eyeliner running terribly, while Nazz had picked a good Day to go all natural. "Now I'm done." He said quietly. 

Both the girls lunged forward an hugged him until the bell rang, crying quietly into his shoulder. He stood up and wiped Marie's eyeliner until it looked good again. And then they focused what classes they had for a moment only to discover they were all In sixth period home education together since it was a required class. The two girl latched tightly onto Edd's hands and they walked to their very first high school class together making several people instantly jealous that he was with two incredibly good looking girls. He opened they door for them and then he spent the rest of his first day classes in silence.


	5. Look, I'm Sorry

The last bell rang and teens spilled into the halls eager to see their friends and hang out after the big first day. Edd however ended up getting surrounded by girls so they could watch him shove his hair back into his hat. But he wasn't going to give them that satisfaction, so instead he took his hat and tried to look for the other Ed boys. Once he felt a tap on his shoulder he grew nervous, he shut his eyes and turned around. Only to find it was for nothing for the girl standing in front of him was an angel right now.

"Hey Dee. I bribed Nazz into telling me, also I'm so sorry man. Can I walk you home?" Rikku said while offering him a hand.

"Actually, I was hoping I could do that today short stack." Said the voice of a childhood bully.

"Kevin, if you're going to like punch me or something I prefer if you just did it here and didn't take advantage of my naivety of wanting to think you're a good person just because you left me alone last year." Edd rambled quietly. "If you're gonna make fun of me just do it already." Edd whispered.

"Calm down Double Dork. I have a few things that I'd like to say but I'll pinkie promise you that they aren't taunts." Says the red head holding out a pinkie. Edd eyed it suspiciously before deciding that there didn't appear to be anything off setting about it. He took Kevin's awkwardly huge in comparison to his own pinkie and bid Rikku a goodbye, but not without promising to call her when he made it home so she could tell the boys he was alright. 

It was weird walking with Kevin, especially since he offered to take the gap tooth boy's backpack. 

"Look, I'm sorry about everything I did to you as a kid. I know that ain't gonna make up for shit but I wanted to let you know that most of the was to impress Nazz before I-" he cut himself off. "I hate Eddy and I always have and I'm sorry that you got nice up with that, or him. There are things that have happened between us before you ever moved in around here that I am never going to be able to overlook. I know he's your best pal and I'm sure you know better than anyone what it's like to be alone... I'm sorry that came out wrong. Let me Retry that. Eddy's mom and my mom and dad all work for the school board. My dad is the history teacher and football and baseball coach, my mother is the librarian, and well it appears you know Eddy's mom. Well our parents are pretty close because of that and I found out a piece of information that even Eddy doesn't know. Eddy's mom never wanted children, ironically for a principle she hates kids, but she thinks out behavior is awful and figured she could do something about it by working for a school. Well when she got married her husband was the same way, but when she got pregnant with Eddy's older brother they thought they would raise the perfect poster child. And I'm sure that all of us neighborhood kids can agree he was the farthest thing from it and a monster douche. Well they swore they never have another child and then Eddy happened. His dad was so upset that he left Eddy's mom and then she started despising him. And of course Eddy's older brother thought it was all Eddy's fault and bullied the shit out of him. When you moved in across the street was about the time that he started acting out and being a grade-A scam artist. You actually used to build some of the coolest shit back then I was never sure how you did it. But anyway, I just wanted to say sorry. You seem a lot cooler now than you ever did back in the day and I wanted to know if you wanted to come to my place this weekend for a party, all the neighborhood kids are invited plus anyone else from high school who comes. It's kind of like an initiation thing for all us freshman to be honest, but my house is huge and my parents are outta town and I think you and even the other two should come." Kevin said with a blazing smile that matched the brightness of his hair.

"Well Kevin I shall think about your offer because that's a lot of info to take in all at once. Thank you for walking me home but I must get inside and call Rikku before she sends out an amber alert or something equally as drastic." Edd said while backing up against his door.

"No problem, Grell." He said with a wink. Edd gasped in shock that Kevin of all people would know what his hair was like. "We all have our secrets sock head you should know that by now." He said as he walked toward his house and left Edd alone.


	6. No Way

"No way! He invited us to his party? We're never invited to anything! You don't think he's gonna try something do ya?!" Eddy said as they sat on Edd's living room watching Edd play the remastered edition of Final Fantasy 10 and 10-2 on his new PlayStation 4.

"No way, Eddy! I think he's a good person if he apologized to Double Dee! Unless... DO YOU THINK HE IS GONNA FEED US TO ALLIGATORS?!" Ed yelled. Oh, Ed.

"As more realistic as your accusations have gotten over the years Ed, I do not believe so." Edd sighed.

"Well, we'll go, but I don't like it." Eddy says while crossing his arms.

"Oh, Eddy how kind of you." Edd says sarcastically. 

"There's no way this is gonna turn out right." Eddy mumbled.

The rest of the night was spent talking about why Edd likes those "stupid games" followed by a ginormous lecture about how great Final Fantasy is, along with all RPG's in general. Which ended the same way it always does, Edd gets butthurt when Eddy gets pissed because Ed agreed with Edd about how cool they were. After several rounds of Black Ops 3, that Edd doesn't particularly like, he made dinner. The boys always ate together since they always hung out it was funny how much of a family they are. After the cleaning that Edd forces them to do, the boys say there goodbyes and part there ways. Which is an easier way of saying that Edd can play for Final Fantasy without being questioned. Granted he forgot to put dinner away in the fridge for the first time ever, he was about to go the kitchen when his phone rang. It was Eddy.

"Yes, Eddy?" He said almost imstantly.

"Hey, Lumpy said he forgot to remind you to put away your left overs." He said lamely

"Yes, I did, I was about to get to that now." Double D responded.

"Alright well, we also need to work on getting my stuff moved over to your house soon. My mom is actually getting weirdly persistent that I leave ever since I brought it up to her. Eddy out." He said as he hung up the phone like he always does. God that makes Edd so mad, how he never gives anyone a chance to say they're farewells.

He walked back towards the kitchen when his doorbell rang. He is never going to put this dinner away! He sluggishly goes to the door and looks through his peephole. It's Kevin. How weird. What could HE want this time of night. Edd answers the door and speaks before Kevin could open his mouth.

"I must inquire you come in and wait a moment so I can put my dinner away since I forgot before the guys left." He mumbles grumpily. Kevin walks in and takes off his shoes while setting Double Dee's backpack on the couch. He follows him into the kitchen all done in Marble. Edd shoots him a glance, and Kevin snaps out of his haze.

"Sorry, am I intruding? Do you want me to go back out there? I've just never seen the inside of your house before and it's weird since you live across the street from me. Your house is well, nothing shy of beautiful." Kevin says in awe. Edd blushes a little.

"Thanks, as well as doctors my parents loved designing things. My mother always said if she hadn't been a doctor she's have been an interior designer. So there's that." Edd said shyly.

"No way! That's so cool! I wish my parents were that complex." He groans while watching Edd put his good away. "Dude it smells amazing did you make this all alone?" He questions.

"Hell no, I make with Ed, and Eddy. They help every night. I'm not cooking for all three of us by myself. But I do decide what we eat every night, but I'd be a liar if I said we don't always have mashed potatoes and gravy for Ed if he ends up not liking something. I swear the boy could and most likely does live of that shit. Ya you he names his gravy boats and ladles? Haha, he has one of each at my house and they're names are Lola and Hellen. That guy cracks my shit up some days." Edd said easing the tension between the two of the boys. 

Kevin busted out laughing, "No fucking way! That is so choice! We should hang out some time dude you're funnier than I thought! But I got to go before my mom starts getting all hissy, I just came to give you your backpack, which I left on your chair by the door." Kevin says.

"You mean my couch? And alright thanks Kevin." He says calmly.

"Oh, and dude," Kevin says while leaning halfway outside the door, "You'll have to show me how you put all the hair into your hat sometime!" He says while closing the door and leaving Edd alone again.

That kid is such a mystery nowadays, Edd thought to himself. He finished putting away dinner and played a few more hours of Final Fantasy before going to bed for the night.


	7. With Birds I'll Share This Lonely View

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This honestly is a lot like the only High School party I ever went to.

"Are you dressed like that because you're going to Kevin's party?" Edd asked Rikku as she walked in through his front door.

"You sound a little nervous, but of course I'm going dork, anyone doing anything in our school is allowed to go, even the Computer Club, granted since we know they wont show up because they never do, well it's not like any actually "nerd" is going to go in fear of being beat up." She said sighing slightly sadly. 

"I'm not nervous for me though I'm nervous for the guys. Kevin told me I could invite them but he was our childhood bully, and even though he apologized I'm still a little sketchy about it. What if this whole thing is just some plot to get us the biggest ass whooping of the century? I don't want to be responsible for my friends getting hurt." Edd said quietly.

"Eddward, you've been very spacey this week so it doesn't honestly even surprise me that you don't know this, but Ed is now a tight end or something on the football team, and Eddy was drug into being the Treasurer for Student Council because everyone know how money grubby he is. Technically speaking Edd, you're the only person at this whole party who was personally invited by Kevin himself, everybody else is pretty much just forced to go." Rikku said bluntly but nicely to try to make him anymore nervous. 

"Alright, well, fuck. No good, but I'll go get ready then before your preppy cheer squad try asking if you chickened out." Edd sighed accepting defeat of the whole situation. 

"Let me do my make-up in your bathroom while your changing." She said rushing up to the bathroom.

She really didn't need make-up, she was a beautiful little Asian girl. She looked great tonight anyways she was wearing Black skinnies and matching converse. She was sporting a Sleeping With Sirens shirt half way covered by her black Misfits jacket. Not to mention she dyed her hair yesterday for the party. So she has a blue peek-a-boo under her raven black hair. She curled her hair into big spiral curls so you could see both the black and blue until about to her mid-forearm. So she will probably do a black and blue make-up style. Probably navy blue eye shadow. Edd knew her on a different level and she always loved him for that. Her wished that he actually was brave enough to actually make things serious with her, but he had no luck. Mainly because he has the issue with touching people. So he gets terrible anxiety even thinking about holding her hand. He couldn't lie he knew his biggest problem was just fear. He was scared to love someone again just because he didn't want to have to watch them get taken away from him again. He couldn't bear to lose anyone else in his life. He didn't think he was strong enough to handle that. Not again. He stood there for a moment, just wishing he could actually do romantic things with her instead of the friend-romance they have. He figured he should go upstairs and change though real fast.

He thought he'd play kind of a joke on her with outfit. He through on a pair of black skinnies and a Misfits t-shirt, with his black converse as well. Then he threw on his NBC Jack side hoodie and walked to his bathroom door. He knocked and asked if she would hand him her his hairbrush. She grunted an approval and put the brush in his hands. He brushed his hair while looking at the full body mirror on his bathroom door and then put his hat on over his hair allowing his hair to be down, that way people at the party to recognize him either way. His outfit actually matched completely in black and white and it made him laugh hysterically out of nervousness. 

"What is so funny?" Rikku asked while opening the door and stepping out. Edd knew what she would look like because he could literally dress her himself, but he still got a weird lump in his throat for some reason. Like every time he saw her face it was new or something. He always thought that was cliche until he realized what it was like to see that happen with someone that meant a lot to you. She was caught off guard by his silence and got a little uncomfortable with her appearance she started rubbing her hands over her arms. "What? Why are you staring at me Double Dee? Do I look bad?" She said getting quieter with every word. 

Now he felt a little bad for staring and he rushed to his feet and came up too her and brushed away a stray hair on her face. He smiled, "You look as beautiful as always my Darling." He said sounding maybe a little too happily.

"Oh my prince, how kind of you!" She said over exaggerated as she reached up to kiss Edd's cheek. "Now come on Prince before Nazz comes over here and thinks you kidnapped me." She says while pulling Edd's hand into hers causing him to almost choke. He put his other hand on his cheek brushing his fingers over the spot she had kissed him. Was it weird that it felt warmer than the rest of his face? He nervously took her hand back as he walks down the hall and opens the door for her. He doesn't even get the chance to open it before there's a knock on the door. Edd politely opens the door and...

Oh, hi Kevin.


	8. What Have I Done?

"Hey, um Kevin we were just headed to your house." Edd nervously spits out.

"I see that... But I had a question for you which is why I came over." Kevin smile bashfully. Edd got nervous for a second and then the weirdest thing happened.

"I am not as fine as I seem. Pardon me for telling and-" Edd through his hand up over his mouth before he could keep going. "I am really sorry I'm so awkward, I don't even know what just happened or why I do that. Oh mah gerd someone please stop my mouth for me-" he replaced his hand back up where he had it previously.

"You'll have to excuse him, when his anxiety hits he blurts out comforting song lyrics to 'himself'." Rikku smiled at him. "He's done it since we were young, but he doesn't do it much anymore. I think it's a cute little quirk. Like one time when we were little and playing hide and go seek-" Edd put his other hand over Rikku's mouth to silence her.

"Hm mhhm-" he uncovered his own mouth like a dork, "We will not be telling anybody the hide and seek story, ever, punk. Anyway Kevin you had a question?" He said almost pleading to get of that topic. 

"Um, yes. I was wondering if you would allow me to escort you to my party like a prince?" Kevin asked turning red.

"Scar tissue that I wish you saw, sarcastic mister know it all-" Edd recovered his mouth. "Fuck I need to go upstairs an do something. Really fast. Actually it might take me five minutes." Edd ran to his room and is himself a favor by throwing on his 21 Pilots c.d and skipping to track 4. He heard the door close and then he assumed Kevin must have walked Rikku over and he was safe. So he scrounged for his anxiety pills that he hasn't needed in a very long time and couldn't find them. Sp instead he waited patiently for his part his song to calm him down.

"Oh, oh, I'm falling so I'm taking my time on my ride, oh I'm falling so I'm taking my time on my ride. Taking my time on my ride. I'd die for you that's easy to say, we have a list of people who we would take a bullet for them. A bullet for you, a bullet for everybody in this room, but I don't seem to see many bullets coming through. See many bullets coming through metaphorically I'm the man but literally I don't know what I'd do. I'd live for your that's hard to do, even harder to say when you know that's not true. Even harder to site when you know that tonight there are people at home who tried talking to you but then you ignored them still. All these questions they're for real, like who would you live for who would you die for, and would you ever kill. Oh, oh-" 

"You got fucking pipes dude." Kevin cut in. 

"What the Jesus shit fuck man!?!?" Edd freaked out so bad his legs fell out beneath him and left him staring up at the tall red head. "Hello Kevin I thought you left and now this is more embarrassing." Edd covered his face with his hands. 

"No man you guy some choice taste in music and you can rap. So let's go princess I can stay gone from my own party too long it would look weird. So up ya go!" Kevin grabbed Edd by and arm and hoisted him up. "I still have to carry you to my party. By the way." Kevin through in. Edd just thought it was best if he left it alone and let whatever happen. Until he looked over and saw his Custom Bass knocked over... He has no idea how that happened. 

"Kevin hold on!!!" He said desperately. He yanked away and grabbed his baby. 

"Wait you play the bass? I got a kid over there shredding on a guitar you should bring it!!" Kevin begged.

"Well I suppose I could but-" Edd was cut of by Kevin pulling him through his house and out the door. He made Edd put on his bass and put him on his shoulders. He paraded to his house with Edd on his should as if Edd wasn't even there even though he clung for dear life. Once they were safely inside Kevin grabbed some sort of drink from someone who looked like they were waiting for him. He walked to the center of the living room and made someone with a ski mask on turn of the music.

"HEY EVERYONE!" Kevin boomed acrossed the house. "So welcome to the 2016 Barr party. I would like to make an very important announcement!" He said as people starting filing into the room. "This year has taken a turn already and I can say this is the first time ever I have actually had to INVITE SOMEONE." And for some reason the crowd went wild. "So I feel like we can all drink to that!" He shouted as he lowered Edd to the ground, he took a huge swig of whatever was in his cup and gestures towards Edd. Edd smelled it and it was oddly fruity. He took a small drink and decided it wasn't bad but he was sure there was alcohol in it and wasn't too into that. But he could say for as much as it stunk up the room he really wanted to try a cigarette. He knew that was a bigger taboo for someone with his types of problems, but the smell was definitely alluring to him. 

Edd decided he was a new man that wasn't gonna let his past keep biting him. He be Friends forever with the Ed's but, he needed to really branch out. So he followed suite of Kevin and watched him from afar once he took off after he showed Edd the guitarist who wanted to jam. So they decided to just do a jam session. Edd saw a microphone next to the giant amp and figured they could just have a Literally session switch singing and all.

He burned through four drinks, 6 Nirvana songs, 5 Sublime, 2 Marilyn Manson, Edd decide they should do one more before they mingle and do whatever. The kids name was Kurt (ironically due to the Nirvana songs), and they were gonna end with one last song that Edd wanted to do lowkey for Rikku. Since she had been the one bringing him his drinks and watching the most happily. He and Kurt started together before Edd really felt it and belted out.

"Hello there, the angel from my nightmares the shadow in the background of the morgue. The unsuspecting victim of darkness in the valley, we can live like Jack and Sally If we want. Where you can always find me. And we'll have Halloween on Christmas, and in the night we'll wish this never ends, we'll wish this never ends. Where are you? And I'm so sorry I cannot sleep I cannot dream tonight! I need somebody and always. This sick strange darkness comes creeping on so haunting every time. And as I stare I counted webs from all the spiders catching things and eating their insides. Like indecision to call you and hear your voice of treason, will you come home and stop this pain tonight? Stop this pain tonight. Don't waste your time on me you're already the voice inside my head(most definitely sang as 'yead') Don't waste your time on me you're already the voice inside my head.... Don't waste your time on me you're already the voice inside my head. Don't waste your time on me you're already the voice inside my head. Don't waste your time on me you're already the voice inside my head. Don't waste your time on me you're already the voice inside my head! I miss you, I miss you..." With that Edd killed his drink and allowed the crowd to do they cheering and clapping and went to go outside for some air. 

When he stood up though things were a different story for him, he had never been drunk before but it him real fast once he stood up. He staggered for the back sliding glass door and found a table with a bunch of chairs. He flopped in a chair and saw something in the chair on the outside on the table. It looked like a pack of smokes. He walked over to the chair and sure as shit it read 'malboro black's 100's' he picked them up only to find no lighter. He looked around and saw a grill on the edge of the concrete flooring. He walked over in hopes to find something. He was about to give up searching until he opened the grill and saw a box of matches. He couldn't help but this that wasn't safe for some reason but he let it go and say back down with them. He lit the first one up and about threw up because he coughed so much. After a few drags he wasn't sure why but he was some how feeling more relieved with every drag. After about his third cigarette he heard the door open and he heard a sigh. 

"Edd are you feeling okay?" He heard his favorite spunk say concerned. Edd stood up and walked over to her. 

"Um, Edd?" She said quietly as he closed in on her. He kissed her passionately and ran his fingers down her back. She grabbed his shoulders lightly, was she always this gentle? He started to lean into her and get more into it, but he was thrown aback quite a bit when she pushed against him fiercely. 

"Eddward! I...I... Not like this! If this is the only way you can seem to force yourself to make a move on me then just fucking forget it! I'm sorry you have to be drunk to want to be with me! Asshole!" He didn't have to look at her to know she was crying. He heard her shuffle towards the gate in the fence that outline the backyard. "By the way, you reek. Cigarettes are not your thing." And with that she slammed the door shut. 

What had he done? He went and dug out the cigarettes and matches again and starting smoking until he realized he had smoked all the cigarettes in the already half empty pack. He was so upset the last thing he remember before falling into a black drunk was singing SWS, If you Can't hang and throwing his fist through the glass table busting open his knuckle and breaking the table before going inside for more alcohol.


	9. I Did What?

"I did what?!?" Edd just about yelled because he was sure he had not heard Kevin correctly. 

"Okay so listen this time spacey. Virtually you broke my table, then came in pissed as hell and punched out Caleb Bush, grinded on half the cheerleaders to My Pony, smoked cigarettes, drank until you got black out drunk, and suddenly your more popular then I am. Oh, and not to mention I think you blew any and every chance with Ri-" Edd cut Kevin off.

"Please don't say her name. Why am I still at your house and who the fuck is Cabel Douch?" Edd said through his arm. He woke up on Kevin's couch to a completely clean house and a searing migraine. 

"You past out right after offering to help me clean and then I put you on the couch. Also it's Bush not Douch. Even though to be honest he is a douch. Granted he is probably the last person you should have knocked out last night bring the captain of the football team and all." Kevin said heavily.

"I KNOCKED OUT THE FUCKING FOOTBALL CAPTAIN?! So much for lying low this year I guess..." Edd really, really screwed up last night. He started mutter info himself, "I'm so happy cause today I found my friends, they're in my head. I'm so ugly but that's okay cause so are are you. We broke our mirrors." 

"Choice taste in music dude, but you're doing it again." Kevin said to Edd sounding farther away. 

"I don't even know if I care anymore." Edd grumbled.

"What's with the attitude? Hangover? I can fix that ya know." Kevin said from behind Edd.

Edd jumped and leaned forward. He felt like he was honestly going to throw up. His head hurt like it was going to explode and he just felt all around exhausted. He wasn't sure if he liked the drunk him. But he could say he didn't feel like drinking at whoever's party someone invited him to next weekend.

"Alright it's been two minutes, I give, help me out Kev, how the fuck does this go away?" Edd asked, begging for a cure to this awful sickness. 

Kevin handed him a plate, and it had a brownie on it. Edd could have hurled at the though of eating a brownie for breakfast but his stomach was already churning at the thought of any food. He really didn't feel like eating it but it would be rude of him to not at least give it a try if Kevin was serious.

"Are you shitting me here or is this actually a cure Kevin? Because I will puke on your floor... Actually I won't but I will still have something rude to say. I swear on that much." Double Dee scowled at the brownie in the plate in disgust not in the mood for games.

"If it makes you hurl, I am genuinely sorry but I'm being dead serious dude." Kevin said straight faced. Edd decided if he was going to do it he better just get it over with he just about inhaled the brownie in two bites and walked to the kitchen and handed his plate back to the red head.

"Truth be told if that doesn't make you feel better I don't know what will. Hey, do you like music enough to trade some?" Kevin asked. Edd decided he would brush that first part off realizing it was probably a joke. 

"Ya but if you're looking to hear a jam session I demand to do it at my house. I'm sure my speakers are better, louder, and clearer than anything you probably have. " Edd sort of bragged and demanded attempt same time. 

"Fair enough I am going to go fetch some c.d's and an aux cord." Kevin called practically already halfway down the hall. 

Edd went to go grab his bass when he started looking around Kevin's living room. Family pictures and mementos that Edd had never gotten the chance to experience. Not that he probably would have anyway. Edd's parent were doctors and were gone for weeks at a time. Since Edd enjoyed the solitary confinement of his room it didn't bother him much. He picked up his bass and strummed a few chords to "Iris" and gave up. He didn't even feel like playing today. He felt slightly heartbroken and all sorts of depressed. He just wanted to listen Sleeping With Sirens, 21 Pilots, and Nirvana and be sad. 

"Hey dude lets kick it." Kevin said putting a hand on Edd's shoulder, but Edd shrugged out of it quickly. 

"Sorry... I don't really like touching other people. Even though last night I obviously didn't take that seriously enough so if you don't mind I will be listening to music with you through my shower at first. I have a thing about germs and I'm not sure when I'm still talking and telling you this, let's get going to my house before I insert my foot into my mouth some more." Edd said being slowly picked apart by germs. 

It obviously only took a matter of 30 seconds to walk acrossed the street, but it took a matter of .02 second for Edd to throw his head directly in the direction of Rikku's house once he saw a letter in the door crack. And he was pretty sure he saw black move out of the corner of the window but he let it go when he realized Kevin was with him. He grabbed the note and saw her beautiful hand writing Written on the front of the letter "DickButt". Perfect, she's pissed and so is he. He about kicked his foot through the door until Kevin turned him even that he kicked the side of his house. 

"Thanks for not letting me break my door." Edd mumbled.

"We'll talk In a grip. But let me see your system." Kevin said givin Edd a nudge. 

He unlocked his door and squeezed the letter all the way to his room and whipped it at his bed and turned on the sound system to play instead of "standby".

"If you can't hang then there's the door baby, if you can't hang there's the door. Now I don't wanna waste your precious time, cause you're Such a pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty face. But you turned into a pretty big waste of my time." Kellin Quinn belted from his speakers.

"God dammit Kellin not after what I went through last night! Not this fucking album!" Edd yelled directly into his speaker like that would fix anything before he just sank into the floor for a good minute or two belted he mustered the strength to find the SWS album he wanted to hear. His hands were shaking badly enough that Kevin had to help him. Edd just sighed heavily in defeat and went to his bathroom to the right of his bed and waited till he could hear "With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear" before slipping into comfortably adjusted water.

For the most part he just let the water fall into him with light scrubbing and washing of the hair because he smelled terrible. He was almost certain he was never going to drink again, but the smell of cigarette's was still slightly alluring. He tried not to think of his small side-kick. So he waited until the water turned cold and he heard Nirvana telling him to "hurry up, take your time, choice is yours don't be late." And realized if Kevin changed the disk he should probably really get out. Until he went to go grab a towel he totally forgot to grab clothes. Well this is really just beginning to be the shittiest weekend he's had since his parents death. 

He walked out to his room and noticed Kevin wasn't in the room... He probably went to go look for a different bathroom, so Edd got dressed an decided now was a good as any other time to read the "DickButt" letter.

He tore the letter open and prepared himself for the hells wrath behind this pretty white envelope.


	10. Dear DickButt

"Dear DickButt,

How long have we known each other Edd? 7-8 years? How many times have we tried to date and yet we never can because you have an issue with germs? That I have ALWAYS respected even though time after time I have put my feelings on hold for you. Edd, I have always tried to do what is in your best interest because I know that you a very fragile person... But truth be told caring for you like this and never being cared for back... It's tearing me down and making me become a fragile person... I have loved you for a very long time Edd, even before I knew what those feelings were. You're the reason I can't listen to any Mayday Parade song without crying anymore because I have officially accepted that we can't be together... And last night really sealed it for me... 

What's so wrong with me that you can only touch me when you're drunk Edd? Is it my crooked front teeth? My height? My slightly slanted eyes? What is so wrong with me? What have I done that you can't look past Edd... I just, don't think I can see you anymore... It's killing me, this is the last time, this is my forgiveness. This is endless. 

Goodbye, Eddward.

-Rikku LoveLace


	11. I'm Serious About The Table

Edd let the letter drop on his bed. He didn't want to think about her or anything else right now so he switched the cd in his stereo to the newest 21 Pilots album and stormed out of his room. Kevin saw him at the other end of the hallway and walked in front of Edd. He pinned him against the wall by his shoulders and looked him dead in the eye. 

"Look here, I'm going to be a major bro for you and we're going to hang out a lot now, because you just had a major fuck up and I get that. I've had a lot of those, especially with Nazz. Just know this. It is okay to be royally fucking depressed and upset and hate life for a while. Just don't get stuck there. I warn you depression is a nasty disease that once it swallows you, it will never really let go. You're gonna have one major battle on your hands for the rest of your life. You can't just roll in and out of this problem if you stay for too long. Sometimes it's hard to get over even if you'd hard the smallest taste. I know it doesn't seem like it, but truth be told I don't have a lot going for me, but I do always have one thing I can say to myself when I start feeling shitty. There's always tomorrow. Which probably doesn't seem like much but you never know what's going to happen. Now we're going to go outside and have a smoke break." Kevin said dragging Edd towards the Back foot without waiting for a response. 

Once outside in the harsh midday light Edd looked at his surrounding on his small patio, and realized everyone must do there shopping at the same place because Edd has the same shroudy glass table Kevin has. Er, had before he busted it with his small hands. Looking down Edd noticed his hand was a deep shade of purple bruise and yet didn't hurt. Must be a hangover thing. Ed saw Kevin was eyeing him with his hand out with the cigarette in between his thumb and forefinger. It looked hand rolled and smelled funny. 

"Kevin what's in this cigarette." Edd said eyeing suspiciously before taking it from him.

"It's a joint dude, I always have at least one at my house after a party. Which I'm sure you also must have realized that's what the brownie was. I always have one around for after a party it helps with the hangover." Kevin said factually. Edd was close too refusing until he realized he already had some in his body anyways so why the fuck not? 

"Thanks for that." Edd said smugly before inhaling and coughing so hard he thought he'd puke. "Why is this so hard to inhale? Am I doing it wrong?" Edd asked in between coughing fits.

"No, you just have baby lungs. Hit it again and pass back. Puff, puff, pass. You'll get the hang of it." Kevin said encouragingly, even though Edd wasn't sure if he wanted to, granted he then remembered how badly his life's was wrecked right now and decided he didn't give a damn. He inhaled again and didn't cough as much as the first time but still about hacked up a kidney.

"See you're getting it." Kevin said inhaling smoothly.

"You can have my table." Edd awkwardly inserted.

"You can have an invite to practically every party thrown through out the whole year." Kevin said gleefully.

"I'm serious about the table though... Since I broke yours." Edd quietly said.

"By the way why was it that you were yelling when you broke my table? It sounded catchy. Something about a pretty face?" Kevin quizzed him while handing the joint back. Edd hit it surprised to see he wasn't coughing almost at all now.

"Jesus fuck, that's probably why she hates me now, she probably heard me screaming. Argh, I'm so fucking stupid. It was a Sleeping with Sirens song. The one from my bedroom that I turned off. 'If you can't hang there's the door baby, if you can't hang there's the door baby, if you can't hang there's the door baby, if you can't hang then there's the door, I don't wanna waste your precious time. cause your such a pretty, pretty, pretty, face but you turned into a pretty big waste of my time.' " Edd recited while handing Kevin the halfway gone joint.

"Ya, most of the neighborhood probably heard it so im she did too. And im sorry man, but you fucked up. That would hurt my feelings haha, ouch." Kevin said trying to sound joking but it didn't matter. So they handed thejoint back and forth until it was nothing but a roach and then left it on the table and went back inside. 

Kevin offered to make breakfast as Edd decided they would just hammer out all the Halo's on his Xbox 360. He finished setting everything up and Kevin said breakfast was done.

"It really isn't anything special but I dig it." Kevin said beaming proud of his creation. Which was a grilled cheese with bacon... A lot of cheese and bacon. Edd practically inhaled his sandwich before realizing he had gotten a serious case of the munchies which left Kevin dying in tears. They finished breakfast and cleaned up as Edd grabbed a bag of goldfish from the cupboards to continue eating. With a sudden knock on the door, Kevin volunteered to go get it. 

"You answered quick, wait Shovel Chin where is Sock Head?" Edd could hear a very pissy Eddy exclaim all the way in kitchen, this isn't gonna be fun to explain.


	12. I've Never Liked You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a while and I apologize. I have had a crazy busy life lately but on a good note I hope to start writing a ton more since I have my computer back up and running with good internet. So thank you for being patient. I hope to keep putting out quality content. :D
> 
> Also, I have hopes to turn Eddy into a really mature character because even in FanFic's I never seem to get that side of Eddy and I think it's about time people quit making him out to be an emotional rock. lol.

"Eddy, Ed, come in, sit. Don't act like strangers in a house you practically live in too. Just be nice to Kevin." Edd said and instantly regretted. 

"Excuse you be nice to him? Double Dee have you seemed to forgotten who this shovel chin fuckwad is? One of the few kids who actually used to beat our asses over stupid little schemes when we were kid. Remember the time we actually thought he broke your nose? And you expect us to come over and see you getting all cozy with the red headed menace and just be fine with that?? Explain yourself Sock head." Eddy said with fumes practically leaking out of his ears. 

"He apologized to me Edward. Stop trying to forget that please. However, that's why I'm getting 'cozy' with him. Not to mention I needed to apologize to him for last night since I broke his table, and he came to check on me after some not so choice moves I made last night." Edd said with almost a gloomy cloud surrounding his whole body. 

"Oh yah, you messed up big last night boy, and that's why we came over was to hang out and make sure you were doing okay. But since Kevin seemed to have your back because he apologized we'd hate to impose. Ya know shovel chin this doesn't change anything. I've never liked you and Edd isn't going to be the reason that changes either." Ed snapped, he was clearly upset about Edd forgiving Kevin, but Edd wasn't so stupid to see the fact that Eddy was just jealous of Kevin having Edd's time. Especially since Eddy was not told about Kevin apologizing in the first place, and he wasn't used to Edd having other friends beside him and the Loaf. Edd could sense this almost as good as Eddy could feel this. 

"Eddy, please, stop being like this. Kevin came over to check on me since obviously you know that I fucked up really bad last night with Rikku. I'm sorry that you weren't expecting him to be over here, but honestly you can't hold grudges forever. I don't think I need to remind you how familiar this particular household is "everything can change in the blink of an eye." Not to mention you know how I feel about wasting the effort to hold a grudge." Edd said getting a light heated. 

Eddy could tell that he was getting Edd wound up and as much as he enjoys doing that to literally everyone else, he always felt guilty doing it to Double Dee. He really did love the kid, and he always tried to watch out for him. Which was why he was so angry about him having Kevin here. This was their space, for the little happy family that they made for themselves. Kevin had no right to be here when he was the cause of most of their childhood bullying. I mean yeah, the Ed's had done some stupid shit to try and get money when they were younger and as poorly thought out as most of their plans were they were always still sorta cool. Yet almost everyday they still got an ass beating lead by Kevin himself. Ya people can change and grudges are a waste of time, but there's no reason that Edd should trust Kevin so easily. Eddy didn't like it, and he certainly didn't trust it, granted he made Edd mad now so he figured he'd better diffuse the sock head. 

"Ya, ya, I didn't mean to light the fuse on your sock. I-" Eddy was cut off by a panicked Ed.

"DOUBLE DEE'S ON FIRE?!?" Ed yelled looking around Edd for some sign that he was burning alive where he stood. 

"No, Ed, my boy. Stop I'm not burning, figure of speech remember we talked about those." Edd said while putting his hands on the much larger Ed boy's shoulders. Ed hugged Double Dee.

"Oh good, I thought you were burning and no one was trying to save you, but I would save you. Since you are my friend and I love you." He said while lifting Edd off the ground with a big goofy smile and a hard bear hug. 

"Well, thank you Ed that's very kind of you and I love you too, but please put me down before my savior end up breaking my back." Edd says breathlessly. 

"What I was trying to say, Sock Head, is that I don't have to like it, to accept it. And if you wanna hang out with shovel chin then I can't stop you but know this." Eddy turns to Kevin. "We will make this clear. A lot has changed in this past years. I got sick of you pushing me around and now I'm sure I probably bench more than you weigh. You make Double Dweeb look stupid for trusting you, and I will kick your ass so fucking hard that I'll make your chin a normal shape. With that, I hope we understand each other." He turned back to Edd with a smile. "We'll back over later tonight for dinner. Don't worry about cooking I've got it covered tonight, but that being said I have to go to some stuff with Lumpy before I come back for dinner. If Kevin is planning on staying let me know so I get enough for dinner." Eddy said out of character like. 

"Eddy, are you feeling okay?" Edd asked him worried about his friend who was being much more friendly than Edd had ever seen him get, and to the last person that would have deserved it. 

"Don't you think you're off the hook Double Dee, we will still be talking about this later." He said while turning Ed toward the door. "You trust me we will. Say goodbye, Lumpy."

"Goodbye Lumpy." Ed said to Edd and Kevin as he closed the door behind him. 

"Choice, oh my god haha." Kevin laughed at Ed's sometimes to easy ability to be an airhead. He's gotten better over the years, but he's still quiet the special boy. "I'm sorry I caused that awkward little dispute." He said while dropping his face.

"No, it's okay. Eddy in all honest has every right to be mad at me. I've always been too quick to forgive because of my parents dying. You are honestly someone whom it should have taken me a bit longer to actually trust, but I just don't see the point. Granted I'd be a liar if I didn't say that I really only thought you invited me to your party last night to kick our asses. So I'm sorry for that. But you honestly deserved it. Eddy just hasn't seemed to realize people change, granted his life has always had constants in it. No need to change when you can have safe, constant, order in your life. I don't think it will take much to convince him that you're not still an asshole, that is if you really aren't an asshole." Double Dee said poking Kevin in the shoulder for added effect. 

"Well I can't say I'm not still an asshole but I'm not a bully anymore. That's for sure. Once I got into high school I guess you can say I actually got my ass kicked for thinking I was a lot more than I was." He laughed to himself but Edd was confused. School only started like two days ago. How could Kevin gotten his ass beat everyone would have heard about that.

"I know I'm trusting Kevin, but you don't have to lie about getting beat up to make me feel better." Edd said bashfully.

"I'm not lying. First day of baseball practice I went in thinking I was hot shit. Well turns out I'm not and there were two seniors that beat my ass and let me know that I honestly wasn't at cool as I thought I was. Being the dick of the Cul-de-sac didn't get me anywhere once I couldn't bully everyone. So I realized there was no point in it anymore. I wouldn't apologize to Eddy unless I got one back, granted even if I did ever apologize I doubt he'd accept it anyways. However, not to be rude but I don't think Ed would understand what I was saying to him I just feel like I'd end up getting a hug from him no matter what if he heard me say I'm sorry. Haha." It almost sounded like Kevin was actually sad. 

Edd didn't know why or what is was that made him feel so okay with Kevin having a supposed change of heart. He wanted to say it was because of what he said earlier to the Ed boys. I mean he really did understand that people can change, Edd is probably the biggest example of that much for mile around. So why was it so hard to think that Kevin could change too? Probably because he was one of the few people who Edd actually had bad memories from meaning of course Edd didn't think he'd change. With the flinching that followed Kevin's name up until like three days ago, it wasn't hard for Edd to figure that he didn't think his childhood bully should be able to change so quickly. Realistically he actually had never even talked to Kevin and the rest of the Cul-De-Sac kids in probably close to two years. So of course Kevin could change. Edd just needed to stop being so close minded. 

Without much reason Edd actually sighed and took of his beanie, allowing all of his hair to spill out in long, luscious, black waves. Kevin gasped unprepared for the sight of Edd's hair. Edd really was a beautiful person and even to himself the only thing he ever wanted to change about himself was the gap in between his front two teeth. 

"To be honest Kevin you're probably right about that. Eddy will forgive you over time I'm sure but going straight for it like you did with me probably wouldn't have been the best way to approach Eddy. And Ed probably would have asked you to make him food if you'd have talked to him long enough. " Edd chuckled to himself as he thought about the overgrown Ed and his unhealthy eating habits. "Anyways you're more than welcomed to stay for diner, the only way we can get Eddy to quit being a frumpus arse to you is to expose you to him. So if you want to stay you can." Edd said to the red head.

"Well, sure since my parents are still out of town, why not? I mean it can't hurt. Obviously Eddy didn't entirely mind either since he more or less invited me." Kevin said a little bashfully.

"That's the spirit." Edd said as he pulled out his phone and texted Eddy about Kevin excepting his invitation. Eddy definitely responded with some not so positive things in which he voided out by texting Eddward back that "He was sorry and didn't mean it." If there was one thing Edd really enjoyed about Eddy, it was that he was actually very sensitive over the smaller Ed boys feelings. Understanding that the boy is still some what fragile and that scares him to possibly break the boy into a million pieces with the wrong voice tones. 

"Well you wanna play some more Halo until they get back with dinner? If we make it to Halo 2 I warn you I get to be the Arbiter when the time comes." Edd said with a smirk.

"You're so fucking on I'll blow you out of the water." Kevin said with a large and excited smile on his face.

The two of them ended up losing track of time, and Edd didn't mind that. Not at all.


	13. Ding Dong Dead Dong

Half way through the last level of the first halo where you have to run to the escape pod with Cortana before the ship explodes with all the flood still on board, the doorbell rang. Edd got up and answered the door bell to find the two other Ed boys outside holding several large plastic bags in each hand. 

"What's all this?" Double Dee questioned.

"It's heavy that's what it is, move aside sock head." Eddy answered impatiently.

Edd did as he was told and closed the door behind the two of them. He trailed them into the kitchen where they had sat down all the bags on the island that is positioned in the middle of the entire kitchen. Whatever was inside smelled good enough to make Edd's mouth start watering, and had managed to draw Kevin into the kitchen as well.

Kevin did seem a little preoccupied looking around the kitchen to see the style and design of the beautiful, white, marble counters and cabinets,, and the delicately placed diamond oak hardwood flooring which gleamed red in the well lit room. The room was illuminated by a gorgeous dangling, pure uncut diamond chandelier. There had to be an easy 200 tiny diamonds glittering in the light. Kevin was in true awe of the genius that was Eddward's mother's choice of interior design. She would have done a wonderful job at this. 

Eddward still stayed staring at the bags on the counter. Eddy and Ed were just staring at Double Dee all four had concentrated looks on their faces. All of which snapped into one place when Eddy finally broke the silence.

"Are you just going to look at it or are you going to open it?" Eddy borderline yelled at Edd.

"I was waiting for you, since you brought it in here I thought you were going to like unveil the shit or something." Eddward snapped back at Eddy's outburst.

"Ya got working arms don't ya?" Eddy followed up with. Edd just grunted angrily and began opening the bags. He was surprised when he opened the first bag and found a card inside with a cake. Edd pulled out the card and held it up. It was hand drawn, clearly by the largest of Ed's. There were three stick people with high heads and terribly drawn hair. Each of which was an easy give away for which stick figure was which Ed. 

"Well fuck me." Eddy said frustrated. "I mixed up the bags that was supposed to be the last one." He said while grabbing the card and putting in back in the bag and pushed the bag aside. He looked inside the other bags and then shoved one back in Edd's direction. 

Edd raised an eyebrow at Eddy who just nodded at the bag again. As Edd opened this bag he smelled the delectable food. When he looked inside the bag, his heart went to his throat with happiness. Inside this bag were three containers of take out from Red Lobster. Eddy pushed two other bags aside. 

"There is more Red Lobster I just wanted you to see one bag." Eddy said with a small chuckle as he looked at Double Dee's shocked face. 

Red Lobster was Edd's favorite restaurant. Even back when he had Leukemia. The other boys knew this but seeing as how expensive it was, they usually only got it on special days but he couldn't think of what was going on. He went to open his mouth to offer a thanks but Eddy cut him off.

"You're not done yet, so hurry I'm hungry." He urged. 

Edd quizzically eyed the next bag shoved at him, but opened it with some excitement. The new Resident Evil 7. Edd wanted to jump for joy but couldn't yet, he continued looking in the bag and found Final Fantasy 15. His heart nearly stopped. There was no holding back for this one. Edd nearly jumped over the counter in excitement.

"You big teddy bear!!! I knew you understood how important these games were too me! I knew you didn't hate them as much as you said, you little soft hearted liar!" Edd pretty much jumped into the two boys and hugged them before getting fidgety from touching them. 

"I knew that one would get you sock head but I didn't know you were gonna shit yourself over it. And I certainly didn't think you actually touch me!" The shortest Ed boy teased.

"Hey! You know I've gotten better about the germ thing! That's not fair. You're not allowed to tease me after showing me you're not as cold as you always pretend to be." Edd said while grabbing Eddy's cheek making kissy faces at his mockingly.

"Ya ya, I'm gonna punch ya in the eye is you don't quit open up the oth-" there was a ridiculously loud knock at the door cutting Eddy off and making all four of the boys jump. 

Edd looked around at the others boys and took a deep breath and approached the door. When he opened it with much courage that he was almost unaware that he had, no one was there. Edd felt stupid, mainly that he had actually been tricked by something that should had seemed obvious now. 'I mean who actually knocks like that.' He thought to himself. He shook his head and closed the door. He walked back the kitchen.

"Who was that?" Eddy asked him cocking his head slightly.

"It was a prank. I didn't even know people still ding dong ditched houses. But I guess I should've guessed, I mean who the hell actually knocks like that, ya know?" He said with a small chuckle. "But it doesn't matter, let me see that bag." 

As Eddy was handing Edd the next bag there was another abrupt knock on the door. 

"Okay, this is stupid." Edd said while letting it go and continuing into the bag. He pulled out a phone card and a Spotify premium card and was once again baffled and overjoyed but he was beginning to get suspicious of the two boys. What had they done to make them give Edd all these wonderful presents? How mad was he gonna be? He dug deeper in the bag and found Vessel and Regional At Best which were two other Twentyone Piløts albums. He was about to cry both in happiness and In rage WHAT HAD THEY DONE?!

"Alright now to reveal the last bag again." Eddy said shoving the cake bag back over again. Edd grabbed the card out of the bag, he noticed now the card was thick and had been taped together on all sides. He very carefully cut the tape with a knife he took from a drawer In the island. And as soon as he cut the bottom one, a ton of pictures fell out. They were all pictures of the Ed boys from the old days and several of Edd and his parents, who were as strict about their pictures as they were everything else in Edd's life, which therefore meant all their picture were professional taken and color coordinated. But there was one taped inside the card. But how they got it was impossible. The picture inside the card was something Edd thought he had lost about a year ago. It was the only picture Edd ever had of him and his parents that wasn't professionally taken. It was also the only picture he had of him when he was bald. It was the day he had tested clear of cancer. He was being held up very carefully and joyfully by both of his parents and they were all crying happy tears and smiling widely. Edd thought he had lost it a year ago when he knocked his "secret box" off the top of his dresser and was never able to find it.

"Where did you find this?" Edd said with his voice shaking in rage. Had they stolen this? The box was the only thing Edd had ever had that was off limits to everyone. The Ed's were no exception to this. No one had ever seen the contents of that box for they were sacred. 

"A few months ago when we were all chilling in your room I was sitting on the floor. And I seen the corner of this picture underneath the big dresser In your room when I picked it up first I have to admit I was shocked and I didn't recognize you. When I heard you coming back down the hall I panicked and pocketed it. When I got home and looked at it more I realized you were probably hiding it and to be honest I was nervous to return it. But today I knew was the day to I've it back. Take it off the card, Unibrow wrote something on the card too." Eddy explained kind of quietly, clearly hoping not to get scolded but also wearing a face of defeat as if he can already feel the wrath coming. 

Edd collected himself a little and realized that honestly he was a little mad that Eddy had kept it. However he also knew he couldn't be mad because he never told Eddy about it which meant he hadn't known it was important and missing in the first place, which also grounded Eddward a little more. He understood that he was the cause of his own anger. He was also not prepared for the words on the card. 

"Today was the day you became like another parent to me and Eddy. You became more independent (the word independent had been crossed out and written several times) then anyone else I know in the world. You have a heart as strong as Superman's skin. You're invincible, You're the best and smartest Ed. Love Ed and Eddy.  
Ps I made this card by hand." 

Edd had tears in his eyes. Both the words on the paper and his own thoughtlessness were crushing him. His friends were too kind, and he was truthful too stupid. He forgot today was the day he lost his parents. He felt guilty, but he felt relieved at the same time. He knew it was unacceptable to forget this day. Just as much a he knew there was a point in time were he thought this day was going to haunt him for the rest of his life. He thought to himself, I'll cry later, but this is the time to appreciate your friends for everything they're worth. 

He blinked several times and then hugged his friends very tightly before being caught off guard again for a third time. 

"That's it I'm done with this." Eddy said while breaking Edd's arm off him while running to the door obviously hoping to see the prankster before they got away. When he opened the door there was silence then very quietly mumbling. Then Eddy came back with another bag that he set on the counter.

"This is from Rikku. Open it." He said very sternly.

Edd's eyes widened and his heart fell to his stomach. Had that been her at the door? Had she wanted to see him? Had that been her the first two times? Had he not seen her present the first time? Had she been watching him from her house? Did she think he was rejecting her again?? He was nervous and felt sick with regret again. He lifelessly opened this brown plastic bag to find several things inside it. 

The new TwoFaced album by on of his favorite youtubers HeyThereImShannon. A weird white tube that resembled a tootsie roll container it was some what heavy. There was a plain black card with the words "Mÿ Çøñdølëñçëś" On the front. She clearly made this herself. He decided to read that later. He continued to reach in the bag. He pulled out a small black box. He practically rolled his eyes back into his head with instant regret flooding back harder. He opened the box and saw a silver ring with a Sapphire, Ruby, and Diamond in it in the shape of an oddly colored pokèball. It was on a thick silver chain to Match the ring. She knew him so well he loved this ring. He had been wanting it for month but had never gotten it. He was touched. He finally pulled out the last few things. He had gotten a new belt with the print of a bunch of little Sollux Captors doing different things. She clearly had this commissioned and Edd was beginning to feel worse by the second. The other two things were a Rick and Morty t-shirt with a ton of Meeseek's on it, and the final thing was a pastel purple and black flannel shirt that was crazy cool looking. Edd was touched he missed her. He really did, and she hated him. He broke her heart and his own with the aftermath. He felt terrible, he walked to and threw up in the toliet, then turned around and walked back. 

"I actually feel better after that." He accidentally said out loud. He grabbed the original cake bag and opened it back up to see the cake. It was his favorite. A complete chocolate ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. 

"Guys I really love you two occasional dumbasses." Edd said relieving himself of the negative feelings he had been experiencing. He wanted to be happy right now, he NEEDED to be happy. He didn't know what else he could do besides that.

Afterwards the four boys all ate a ton of snow crab, a whole lobster, and tons of other freshly caught fish while watching and experiencing Resident Evil 7 in turns. They spent the rest of the night enjoying jump scares and junk food. Only problem, Eddward also felt the urge for a cigarette.


	14. Tell Me How You Really Feel

Several days after the small get together of the Ed boy's and Kevin, things had been really awkward for Eddward. Rikku had been making it really hard to avoid her as she suddenly showed up in places that she wasn't normally at. Edd would get sent to go hand in the attendance because the computer would be acting funny, and then she would be there getting something from the printer. Edd would be in gym class and she would be there collecting nominee votes for student body president. He thought by being late to lunch he could avoid her, but of course she was also late and they stood right next to each other. He hadn't even read her second letter yet, which made him feel like a jerk. Edd was just to afraid to see the inside after what the last letter had entailed.

Edd was burning with desire to saying something to her. He wanted to apologize but he was sure she would ignore him. If there's one thing she's really, really, good at it's holding a grudge. She still had a grudge against Brandon Michaelson for telling her that her pigtails were uneven in fourth grade. She's so stubborn when it comes to letting things go, that Edd knew that it was pretty much pointless for him to even be thinking of a way to apologize to her. They had been through so much together for him to be willing to just drop it because he messed up. Like why was it so hard for her to understand that he hadn't meant to hurt her? He had never drank before and she knew that, didn't he seem a little off? Had she also been drinking and that's why she hadn't noticed him acting differently? He was so confused and had 13 different ways to look at the situation and she was probably only looking through her own eyes. He was so frustrated with ideas on what happened, and how to fix it that he could barely think straight. One thing was for sure for the Edd-boy, he had never been this bothered by anything in his life, and he couldn't figure out the source of it all. Was it because he couldn't control this? No, he told himself knowing that he hadn't had a controlling issue since after the funeral. Was it because he actually drank? No, he knew that day would eventually come. Was it because he couldn't talk to anyone about it? No, Edd knew his other Ed's would also listen, all three of them had always thought she was pretty and since Eddy no longer infatuated with Nazz he had to move on to someone else. Which was conveniently the same girl as the wisest Edd. "What in the actual Hell is bothering me so terribly?" He practically screamed inside his head. 

As soon as school was over Edd found himself rushing to leave the school grounds for the first time in his life. He couldn't be around her much more or he felt he would explode. He wasn't even sure what that would mean but he was not prepared. He grabbed everything he would need for the night and started heading for the doors. He would wait for the other boys outside the building, where he wouldn't have to worry about people bumping into him and trying to hit on him without his hat. He finally got outside the gates of school when he saw three girls he actually wouldn't of mind being bumped into, the Kanker sisters.

"Hey Marie I got a question for you!" Edd said and he got to the window of their car. 

"Make it quick Edd our dad comes home from work this weekend and we have to start cleaning our house." She said with urgency. 

"Alright well do any of you have a cigarette?" He said not realizing the words until they were too late to come back in. 

"Well lookie that, our smartest Edd-boy put on his big boy pants. Here ya go little man. Just don't become a moocher. I'll buy you some if you need but bumming is a nastier habit then the actual smoking." Lee said with her gruff voice as she pulled out a pack of cigarettes from the center console. It was impossible to tell who's they were from the location of them but Edd still assumed they were Lee's. He had only seen Marie smoke twice and both of those times we're in social situations. However Lee smoked regularly, Eddward was just not that familiar with her, as he was Marie. Lee gave him two cigarettes and light one for him, seeing as how they were technically off school grounds. 

Edd thanked her and then proceeded to wait for the other two Ed's as the Kanker's sped off towards they're home in the trailer court. He saw the building empty out little by little. Until he saw Rikku come out and she managed to find his eyes in the large crowd. She stared straight at him as he took another drag of his cigarette and she cringed in disgust at him. He gave up a little more on the inside as she quickly found her other cheerleaders and hurried towards practice. He had no idea what he was going to do to make it up to her. Every time she saw him, she seemed to hate him a little more. He was so lost in thought that when he felt a hand on his shoulder he about screamed. 

"Sock head calm down. Your standing in the middle of the parking lot, spaced out of your mind, smoking a cigarette. You need to get ahold of yourself before someone besides me hits you." Eddy said to him. 

Edd answered him with a head nod and looked around, "Where's Ed?" He asked looking confused.

"Did you forget he's on the football team now? He has practice, which I'm sure they'll start kicking him from if they don't explain things slowly." Eddy said shaking his head furiously. "But forget that, did you know Cabel Bush has been on like a man hunt for you? I guess he's been looking for you every since the party but he's actually started to ask people who are close to you. Like Rikku. Who told him to shove it before she punched him in the dome next. You better hope he doesn't ask Ed during practice." Eddy said with a shrug.

"Whatever, let him fight me. He can't do anything worse then what Kevin used to do with the other Cul-De-Sac kids." Edd mumbled and then regretted making the morbid joke once he remembered Kevin's recent actions, and his own friendship with Nazz, which hadn't always been nice. 

"Yeah, yeah we all know the second he lays a hand on you I'll be all over it sock head." Eddy laughed while looking at his flexing arm muscles. 

"Eddy did you really buff up just to beat down Kevin? Because you could have probably stopped a long time ago when your muscles were like half this size." Edd wondered since he had never really taken the time to actually look at his friends since they see each other on the daily. 

"Well kind of I guess." He said a little quietly.

"You guess? Or you know?" Double Dee said quizzically. 

"I got tired of getting you beat up for stupid things I used to do. I wanted to be able to protect myself, and I felt bad for seeing you get the shit kicked out of you too. Ed and I can handle a beat down, but I didn't know about your cancer or being so weak or any of that, and I used to make you guys do really dangerous and stupid shit all the time that just lead to other kids beating us up anyways. So I don't know I guess it was so I could kick Kevin's ass a little but I think I also feel kind of... I don't know guilty?" Eddy questioned himself. Edd was just teasing him to get his mind off of his own things but now he made himself another topic to think about and gave Eddy something to contemplate on for a while. When they got home to Edd's house they both kicked off their shoes and just sat on the couch without turning the t.v. on. 

"When are you going to start moving your stuff in Eddy?" Edd asked to break the silence. "Your mom said that she would give you your brothers truck since he left it there right?"

"Yeah I guess I could start whenever I wanted we would just have too go back to the school and get them from her." He said bluntly, clearly still wondering about himself. 

"You wanna go do that instead of sit here?" Edd asked again sounding just about as enthused as they both looked. He rolled his head over towards Eddy.

"Yeah might as well." He got up with great rippling crack that Edd had to assume was his back. After a few seconds of silence, Eddy looked back at Edd. "I swear to God I felt that in my toes. I think that was just what I need to cheer me up." He said with a smile and a pep in his step. 

The walk back to the high school was much more pleasant as they both talked about the new IT remake movie coming to theatres. Eddy and Ed were both overjoyed and excited but Double Dee was, of course, a little nervous for the jump scares. Which lead to talk of how Eddy would probably have to watch him play Resident Evil 7 because the jump scares there were almost as bad as The Evil Within. Which lead to why hasn't Edd watched a playthrough of it yet with all his Youtuber Gamer's that he watches. Halfway through explaining while even though he's kind of a wuss he doesn't like watching gamers do horror games is because it will take the fun out of it, then found themselves at the school and heard the whistles blow for practice on the football field. They began to watch the players and cheerleaders walk back to the school locker rooms. They both knew that would mean Ed would be getting out of practice. Along with Rikku, and Cabel. They looked at each other. 

"I think we should hurry, I know I said he can kick my ass but I would prefer there to not be a ton of other people around." Edd didn't really need to specify that he was really just talking about Rikku watching him get his ass served to him. Even though she probably deserved as much. Wait. A. Minute. Could that be the solution? Edd begin to run social formulas he's seen on t.v. through his head at 100 miles per hour knowing he didn't have long before they would get to the locker rooms. "Eddy go find your mom. And maybe a paramedic." Edd said with his voice already shaking. 

Before giving him a chance to respond Edd ran toward the crowd of people that he knew were probably never going to let him live this down. As he drew about twenty feet from the crowd of mingled together Cheerleaders and Jocks one of them started to move towards him. He didn't need to look at this outfitted football player long to recognize it was Ed. 

"Hiya Double Dee! Did you come to see me practice? Because you missed that part." He said to Edd with his unibrow furled at him realizing that he probably wasn't here for that part since Double Dee is NEVER late. "Double Dee why are you here?" He said cocking his head to the side, clearly grinding gears he doesn't use often. 

"Hey there if it isn't my favorite One Hit Wonder." Said an unfamiliar voice. 

'Boom goes the dynamite', Edd thought to himself before turning to the left. 

"So I have to go grab some stuff and shower off real quick Ednerd. Would you mind waiting here for me? We have some things to discuss." Cabel said with a large part of the group focusing their eyes on the two of them. Ed scanned to see Rikku who was hiding very shittily behind two other boys. It wasn't hard to see her eyes were extremely wide and filled with ...fear? Or is that Excitement? Edd couldn't tell, but he looked too Cabel. 

"What you need to go get a pep talk from your boys? You can't take me now? Or are you afraid to get knocked out twice in front of your fangirls?" Edd said cutting through a long line of other insults he could have said that will lead to an ass whooping. 

"You really want to throw down right here?" He said taking the bait.

"Take off your gear and let's go. Unless you plan on keeping it on." Edd hesitated before adding the next bit on, which he knew would seal the deal. "Like a fucking pussy."

Almost instantaneously Cabel was out of his football pads on rushing towards Edd like a dump truck. Almost everyone there was cheering Cabel name. Edd waited until he was almost upon him and ducked slightly to the right while keeping his foot in place. Cabel fell onto his face and the crowd went silent. Edd had not anticipated that to work at all. He was in just as much shock as the rest of them. As Cabel starting lifting himself up Edd took it upon himself to tackle Cabel back to the ground. On impact, Edd's shoulder grew immediately sore. Cabel had been the quarterback since his sophomore year because he was built like a brick shit house and smart as a whip, and rumor has it he's going all out this year because he's got talent scouts looking at him for his freshmen year in college next year. Edd fell on top of him and hit him in the face with a poorly made fist and he thought he broke some of his fingers. He swore underneath his breathe being quite sure he was hurting himself more then Cabel. He began to ball up his left hand to punch him again and Cabel flipped the situation easily. He grabbed Edd by the neck and threw him on his side. Cabel got to his feet quickly no longer messing around and picked Edd up by his jacket he lifted him as high as his arms would allow and threw him to the ground as hard as he could. Cabel grabbed Edd by the back of his neck and started slamming his face in the dirt. Edd felt excruciating pain. 

Edd started hearing screaming from a few girls to stop or Cabel would kill him. The second he let go of Edd's neck Edd turned around and spit all the blood in his mouth on Cabel's face and punched him again. "Fuck you Cabel Douch." He managed to sputter out before losing vision. He wasn't quite out yet but he could hearing some girls screaming at Cabel and he could feel warm blood oozing out of his nose going into his ear. Right before he blacked out he heard Rikku voice through the crowd though she was screaming "He's already down, stop!" at the top of her lungs. Edd felt an abrupt blow to the side of the head and passed out.


	15. "What Happens Next Won't Shock Anyone"

When Edd finally woke up, he didn't even need to open his eyes to know where he was. He had been in this place so many times he could instantly recall the slightly chemically clean smell that was a hospital. Edd had a horrible headache and his entire face felt swollen and in pain. His whole body had a slightly numb feeling to it, kind of like after the party at Kevin's, or the way he felt directly after a chemo treatment. 

Edd took a deep breath and curled both his hands into very light fists. His left hand, that he had used to punch Caleb, had been sore but not broken like he thought. he slowly peeled his right eye open as his left seemed to be sealed shut with presumably eye gunk. He remembered watching the ground get farther away before he tasted dirt every time Caleb slammed his head into the ground. He looked around the room, which was poorly lit even though he assumed it was still daytime. He couldn't have been out for more than a few hours. He probably had a concussion he thought to himself while trying to figure out where his call button remote was. He knew he should page his nurse and let her know he was awake now. He fumbled for few minutes before he found the thick wire of the remote which had fallen onto the floor. He slowly pulled the remote up and then started pressing the button that he thought was a call button. Instead, it was the light switch to the set of lights in front of his bed. There he saw two empty chairs at the foot of his bed. He was struck with a weird De Ja Vu moment from when he was a kid getting treated and both his parents would sit at the end of the bed while holding his hands if they had bad news about his condition. He was made very uncomfortable by that thought and suddenly remembered why it was that he hated hospitals so much. He wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. He began punching all the other buttons on his remote until finally, he heard a ding followed by a red light on the remote.

"Hello, Mr. Vincent? Have you woken up?" Said a small and quiet voice through the remote. 

"Yes, I'm awake." He said flatly and roughly realizing his throat was parched.

"Okay, well have your nurse come check on you. You also have some visitors here to see you. Would you like us to send them back to see you? Or would you like more time to recover?" The lady asks him politely.

"Please, send them back. Could you ask one of them to get me some water ma'am?" Edd asked softly as it was getting harder to talk.

"I'll have the nurse bring some in with her." The woman says before the red light shuts off.

Edd closes his eyes again and begins to just listen to his surroundings. The machines he's hooked up to beeping one right after another for three seconds before resting for four seconds of silence. He could hear very quiet conversations outside his room, and footsteps. Double Dee was almost positive he heard a dripping noise much high pitched and faster than the one of his I.V. bag. The door quietly starts to inch open as if not to disturb Edd and his false slumber. Edd opened his eye and slowly lifted his hand to try and rub the sleep and gunk out of the other one, only to find it is covered with a bandage. He hadn't really accessed any of his own injuries actually. He could feel something on his chest, and he felt the entirety of the wrap around his head covering his eye and some of his forehead. Edd was actually starting to panic now. He didn't want to be kept here.

"Hello, Eddward. I'm your nurse Jackie. I'll be assisting you today. I'm going to run some quick vitals on you and ask you some questions before you start chit-chatting with your friends, okay?" She says as more of a statement than a question. Edd nods at her and she starts checking all his circular, sticky, body sensors. She then wraps the compression band around his arm and gets his blood pressure. She looks at him once all things are checked off as normal and sits on the side of his bed. 

"Now, Mr. Vincent, Can you tell me why your here?" She asks him. 

"Well, I got into a fight...Shouldn't you know this?" Edd says sharply as his panic starts to take over his polite side. 

"Stand down Soldier, I only asked to make sure you remember." She says with a smile, "now can you actually tell me one thing we don't know?" 

"Um, sure," Edd says with unease. 

"Can you tell us why your head is bandaged up?" She asked concerned.

"I did that on the way here because his ear was leaking," says Ed as he and Eddy walk through the door nonchalantly. 

"Oh, well can we remove it so I can a look into your ear? Your testing was fine when we gave you a cat scan but I would like to make sure that your leaking wasn't anything serious." She says with a concerned look on her face. The woman was short and petite. She had dark brown hair and eyes. Her skin was a caramel color that valley girls could only dream to obtain. 

"yes, by all means, whatever we can do to get me home faster is the best thing in my opinion," Edd says hurriedly.

"You need not worry about bills Mr. Vincent you know that your parents status here at the hospital is still well known for all the research they did, not to mention their insurance policy is still active over you." She explained to him as if money was ever the problem here.

"Um, no miss. I'm sure you've seen my records and the long extensive treatment I've received before. It's no offence to you, but I can't stand hospitals anymore. I would love to just go home and get out of here." Edd explained back to her in better perspective.

"Well let's just get those bandage wraps off and make sure we can send you home soon then." She says while standing. "I'll go get some surgical scissors to cut them with. She pats Edd on the knee before she walks out of the room with her charts leaving all the Ed's alone.

"What in the actual hell were you thinking sock head?" Eddy says almost the instant the door closes. 

"Don't ask stupid questions, Eddy, I'm sure you already know what I was thinking. Or what I wasn't thinking, technically." Edd says in no mood for banter.

"You know whatever you were hoping to get from Rikku there probably just made the problem worse? I don't wanna rain on your sock parade, but you've been acting really out of character every since you started to 'forgive' Kevin. I know that you try to live hate free, and by standing out of everyone's way every since your parents died but Double Dee," Eddy locks eyes with Edd for several seconds before sternly telling him, "But you need to pull your head out of your ass and quit acting like me. You can't just keep barraging through these situations by yourself. If Kevin is somehow making you act this way I swear to God Edd I will destroy that red-headed bitch." There's an unquenchable fire in Eddy's eyes that Edd has never seen before, it was slightly terrifying.

Before Edd has a chance to even give some sort of half-assed explanation that he didn't have the nurse came back in with a doctor, a plastic tote, and some scissors with plastic protectors over the tips of the pointy end of the scissor blades. As they started to talk to him about taking off his bandage and actually cutting it off, Edd found himself wondering about if he had started changing. He started smoking. He smoked pot twice now. He even drank, even though that was a group thing he still knew it was out of character for him most of all. He started swearing more, and he was reliving his old nervous quirk often. Why was this? Was it Kevin's doing? Of course not. Edd knew better than that, he knew Eddy just wished to have a reason to knock the lights out of Kevin. The reason he started changing again into out of character behaviour? Depression and anger over losing the girl he loved and had never even been brave enough to have and to hold in the first place. 

Edd was pissed at himself for always playing life too safely ever since the death of his parents pushed him back into the corner his cancer had first made for him. He had so much fight in him, but he chose to hide it for reasons that didn't exist. He was just letting life push him whatever way it wanted to now that he was depressed for pushing Rikku away. He was upset that he was never brave enough to say anything to Rikku, for as long as they've been friends, and especially for how much closer he was with her than anyone else in his life. He pushed her away and he was mad that she left. Not mad at her but mad that he would rather push her than just tell her that he loved her. He already knew she would have probably rejected him, but that would have been better than this stalemate they're in now. He hasn't given her any reason to stay and he wanted to change that. Edd knew he was outgoing and smart. Desirable traits that were paired with a bad attitude towards life is how he looked at it. This was the only way he could think of to let her know he was sorry was to get his ass beat in front of her. A sudden sad chord had hit Edd harder than his headache that was growing larger the more they moved him around for cutting the wrap off. Rikku had still been reaching out to him... In clearly desperate attempts to see him. The presents, the letter, the glances at school and he was pretty sure she was the distressed female voice he heard yelling at Caleb as he passed out... but had Edd even told her he was sorry yet? Or was he just letting Rikku fight this fight by herself with desperate cries for his attention? The more he thought about this, the more he understood that it was him who had still been staring through his own eyes instead of her. He was the only one not fighting for what he wanted. Edd was getting anxious. He knew what he needed to do. 

As soon as the doctor had inspected and cleaned up Edd's ear he confirmed the blood wasn't from Edd's ear in so he was fine. Edd overall had received a mild concussion that would require him to stay home for the week as to not risk any further injury/bullying at school that could further worsen the head injury. He had cracked a rib and would have to be seen in a week for that to make sure it's healing in proper place. Other than that his face was swollen but not terribly. he had a huge black right eye and many bruises all over his body, including almost his entire left hand and his chest.

After the doctor left the room, it was almost another two full hours before Edd was discharged, and Eddy was completely pissed at Edd. Every time Edd tried to say something to him or offer any type of explanation he shot him down. Telling him "You need to figure out what you want sock head." Every time he tried to speak about the situation. Edd thought that Eddy probably felt a bit betrayed himself since Edd had been hanging out with their childhood mortal enemy. Edd wasn't sure if there was a way he could fix the fact that Eddy is set in stone about Kevin not changing, but he'd had to figure something else out first.

When they finally released Edd, Eddy and Ed helped him walk to the door of the hospital before letting him try it out for himself. He was still very limp and shaky, but he grew a little more 'oompf' with every step until he finally walked with a slight limp. They gave him some medicine at the front corner of the hospital along with discharge papers, and an appointment card for his next week check up. When Edd walked outside of the hospital and was hit with fresh air he also saw that the sun had set a while ago. There was a nippy breeze that bit at the back of Edd's uncovered neck. He sat with Ed on a bench while Eddy ran to get his brothers truck from the parking garage. When Eddy pulls the truck back around after about five minutes he tosses something at Edd as he gets out of the truck. 

Edd catches what appears to be a newspaper that has Edd's feeble body laying on the ground unconscious. The caption "What Happens Next Won't Shock Anyone." Having a highly detailed and also a false version of the fight Edd had with Caleb which the story said had ended when Edd started crying, pissed himself, and then passed out. Which of course is not what happened but considering it also said that Caleb had been more beaten up than Edd was, it wasn't hard to see the whole story was just bullshit Caleb done pulled to keep himself from getting in trouble. 

"How did he even manage that? Wasn't Hoffman like on the track or somewhere close?" Edd said furiously.

"Well, you should know Coach Hoffman won't do anything that could keep us from finally winning a season for the first time in over a decade," Eddy says while extending a hand and taking back the newspaper. 

"Hey, I was gonna read that!" Edd shouts at Eddy while trying to snag the papers back to no avail. 

"Yeah, yeah, I gotta burn this thing since it was given to me by Shovel Chin this morning," Eddy says gruffly while puffing up at the thought of Kevin.

"Wait this morning??" Edd was confused.

"Yeah the fight happened yesterday, Caleb hit you good, I was a little more than scared when I realized you hadn't moved in a long time after all was said and done, but everything turned out alright in the end," Eddy says with a smirk.

"What is that supposed to mean and why are you smiling?" Edd snaps frustratedly which cleans the grin off of Eddy's face.

"Chill out Double Dee and take it easy. You're getting to go home now so lose the 'tude." Eddy grumbles under his breath while pulling Edd to his feet and half pushes Edd to the truck. 

When they arrive at the Edd's house Eddy doesn't shut off the truck. 

"I'm going to run to my house and grab some things. I'll be back over after I drop Eyebrow off." Eddy says poking fun at Ed who punches him in the shoulder. 

"I take better care of my brow now that my mom gets loud if I don't, Eddy." Ed claims in a sour way. 

"Alright, I'll be in the living room then when you get back, or maybe the shower I wanna wash the sticky shit off from the vital machines." Edd says as he waves a goodbye at Eddy who almost doesn't wait to hear the end of Edd's sentence. It was obvious he wasn't trying to leave Edd alone, but he didn't have to come off so rude about it. 

Edd watched Eddy's truck turn down the street before he walked over to his dumpster and threw up in it. His nerves at an all time high. But he knew what he had to do. As Edd started to hobble back towards the front door of his house, Rikku watched him enter his house from across the street in her living room window. She breathed a sigh of relief. 

"He's okay," She whispers as he closes the front door of his house before disappearing from her sight. "And he's still stupid."


	16. I Write Tragedies, Not Songs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I came up with this song on the fly so I apologize if it seems corny or discombobulated. I'm a small-time writer, not a lyricist.

Edd rushed into his room and grabbed a piece of paper and furiously started writing. After about ten minutes of words practically spilling out of his head onto the paper he was confident in himself to do what needed to be done. Edd picked up his cell phone and searched for a name in his phone. He was overly excited and keep hitting the wrong buttons but he finally found the one he was looking for and started a call. After almost four rings they picked up.

"Eddward what a pleasant surprise. What's up my boy?" Said a slightly raspy deep voice that belonged to Rikku's dad.

"Hey Kirk it's been a while I was wondering is Rikku home?" Edd said nervously while biting his bottom lip.

"Yes, would you like me to get her for you?" Kirk asked happily.

"NO," Edd said louder than he meant too. "No, sorry is it okay if I come over?" Edd asked while growing more anxious by the second.

"Well, of course, you can, I didn't know you still felt the need to ask for permission. You know you're welcome if 3 a.m. or 3 p.m. You're one of our's, kid." Kirk explained thoughtfully.

"Thank you, one more thing. I'm going to knock on the door and would you have Rikku answer it?" Edd said while started to gather somethings after hearing the confirmation. 

"Absolutely. I'll be listening for your knocks." Kirk said before he hung up.

Edd looked around his room, feeling so anxious that his room almost didn't even seem like his room. He grabbed a jacket, the paper he had written, and his bass guitar with his small battery operated amp and cord. He started bustling out his room before his weak body caught up with him. He knew that he had to act fast before his body gave up on him. Edd got to his front door and set everything down on the chair next to the door and he ran to the spare closet that should have his parent camping gear in it. They never went camping but they had promised to take Edd camping when his cancer treatment was done, but they hadn't been able to find the time as usual. Edd grabbed a small folded camping chair and went back towards the front door to regather his items. He hobbled towards the direction of Rikku's house when he noticed Kevin taking out multiple bags of trash from his lawn. His dad must have made him cutting and bag the grass today. 

"Hey man, I heard you took a beat down. You look rough." Kevin called to him before quizzically looking at Edd's items.

"I'd love to chat but there's something I gotta do and it's really important," Edd said as he walked to the house next to Kevin's. 

"Fair enough man I expect some kind of update," Kevin chuckles as he continues to gather the trash up.

Edd set the chair up and pulled his bass into the amp with the cord. He then grabbed his paper and stared at the door.

"You gotta knock man," Kevin said as he dumped the last bag into the dumpster. Edd stared at him and took a deep breath before knocking.

As Kevin walked into his house the front door of Rikku's opened. Rikku was dressed comfortably in blue basketball shorts and a baggy t-shirt. She almost instantly tried to close the door before Edd put his hand on it stopping her.

"Look I know shit it weird right now, but I have something for you. And if you wanna hate me afterwards that's fine, but you have got to at least hear me out. Please come outside." Edd practically begged her with his eyes. She stood there for a moment before coming outside and closing the door behind her. Edd smiled to himself, step one completed. Edd handed her the paper he had his lyrics written on.

"I need you to hold this for me, please." He asked her. She reluctantly took the paper from him and held it in front of him like she had down so many times before in the past. 

He strummed a few lines on his bass to make sure he was in tune with the sound he had in mind for the song he had written her. He took a deep breath and noticed how nervous she looked too. He really hopes this song came off the same way he had written it. 

"Happily ever after, an idea I adore. Happily ever after, in which my true love, I ignored. I thought I had my happily ever after, but not anymore. I gave you a locket, you gave me a key. I threw out your present while you tried to peek, inside the locket, where my dreams are asleep. But after dark, they come to life vividly. You're standing alone in a field playing the queen, with flower crowns and dyed hair screaming "Here's some Anarchy". And I'm trying so hard to grab onto the rope, that just like my cigarette went up in smoke, being funny like a bad punchline of a forgotten joke. But I was too young and naive to believe that it would work, I had to take a step back and realize I'm the jerk. Happily ever after, an idea in which I adore. Happily ever after, my true love I adore. Happily ever after, please don't hate me anymore. Happily ever after, but not anymore. I scream in my room while I fall into bed. Picturing your smile, your laughter fills my head. All I cared about was my space, while I threw it all in your face, God I'm such a disgrace why didn't anyone stop me. Me and my one-man army, that tore down the Roman empire that took you years and years to build, but I didn't stop there, I had to get my fill until I even stripped your walls bare, leaving you to bleed on your own. I shoved you down in the dirt, hoping to make you hurt in the way that was. And I know that you have saved me, and instead of helping, I just stood and pointed laughing like when I threw away your gift key. But you wiped the mud off your chin and just went back to square one again. Happily ever after, an idea which I adore. Happily ever after, with the girl I adore. Happily ever after, loving me was a chore. Happily ever after, but not anymore. So with this final verse, I've got one shot to make it right. I've stepped out of my coffin to help you fight the fight. I've come to pay for what I've taken, and if I'm not mistaken, that means leaving you is out of the question. I'm sorry I didn't mention, all the effort that you put in, but I'm here to tell you now, I don't wanna live to let you down, or be the reason why you frown. But I've got some news for you, I will make it right this time, because I promise you my darling, I'll make you happy to be mine. Happily ever after, an idea I adore. Happily ever after, with the Girl I adore. Happily ever after a love that shakes my core. Happy ever after, I love you forever more." Edd stood there breathlessly waiting to see her reaction when she bursts out into tears and hugged him. 

She had squeezed him so hard she cracked his back and pressed onto his hurt rib which causes him to shutter in pain as she released him shocked to hear the cracking. Rikku wiped her eyes and slightly smudged the little bit of eyeliner at the corner of her eyes. She looked back at him and gave him a light tap on the shoulder.

"Ya know Eddward, your a real fucking bonehead sometimes. I do have to ask you something though." She says before locking eyes with him. "Why did you start smoking?" She says this time not so disgusted like beforehand.

"Yah know, I know you smoke Rikku. So I don't understand why you are coming on so strong to me about it." Edd says slightly defensively.

"Abort mission cadet, I was just asking. It isn't like you." She says while grabbing a lock of his hair, "and neither is not wearing your beanie." Edd allows her to play with his hair. 

"I just had a lot of time to think in the hospital today, Eddy really gave me some words. It was just time for me to figure out what I wanted. However, I don't know where my beanie is. I wasn't wearing it when I confronted Caleb, so I must've forgotten it in my locker at the school since I'm not used to taking it off I'm also not used to putting it on." Edd says with his face scrunched up trying to remember if he had taken it home or left it in his locker. He didn't need the beanie now that everyone knew his secret, but he did want it for security reasons. "Can I ask you a favor?" Edd said under his breath.

"Well, duh?" Rikku said entwining her fingers in his hair clearly enjoy her chance to play with his normal shielded hair. 

"Do you have a cigarette? I'll give you a dollar or something." He offered to her, remembering what Lee had said to him earlier. Rikku frowned at him.

"If I bum you one, I am demanding you tell me why you started smoking." She said sternly.

"After the fight, I had with you at Kevin's when you stormed off and left me feeling like the idiot I was, I found some and I ended up smoking them. I'm not sure why I'll blame it on the fact that I was drinking and it altered my choices but I just, don't know why I haven't stopped. They taste like shit but they do make me less stressed." Was the best explanation he could offer to her. She rolled her eye but turned around and opened the door.

"Fine, but you have to come in and say hi to Momma and Pops. They have been dying to see you since school started." She said while also grabbing his hand with her free one. 

Rikku's parents weren't actually married but they had been together since High school. When they moved here Edd's parents had been holding a celebratory barbecue for his cancer finally going away. No one in the neighborhood knew what came over the always busy Vincent's to hold a neighborhood get together, as Edd cancer had been a family secret, but you can bet that everyone they invited showed up with guests to get a peek at the Vincent's lives. The LoveLace family had been invited and that was where they had met. Edd had been a social butterfly with his newfound confidence knowing that he was no longer on the brink of death. He wasn't afraid to find new friends and Rikku was someone new that he was able to cling to, and he did just that. 

As he walked into the house and was greeted with the family vanilla scent of her home. Rikku's mom was usually baking as she was a real Martha Stewart in the kitchen. The house looked the same as it always did, slightly messy due to their two sphynx cats, Jinx and Lunar who have a bad habit of knocking over anything they see stacked. The front door leads to the living room of Rikku's house, where her dad was in his lazy boy with both cats lounging on his lap as he watched the news. His lazy boy is in the middle of the room only being accompanied by a coffee table in front of a small three-person couch on the left side of the room. The couch is right in front of the bay window that allows you to see most of the cul-de-sac. If you look straight when you first enter the front door you see a staircase on the right that leads upstairs to the bedrooms of the house, and looking forwards will allow you to see the kitchen walkway. Rikku shoved the slightly reminiscent Edd towards Kirk's chair as she darted upstairs to grab him a smoke. 

"Hey Kirk, how's it going?" The sudden disturbance of Edd's voice causes both cats to raise their heads. Jinx, who is a black sphynx, stretched and jumped to the floor. Lunar, who is a white sphynx, yawned and laid her head back on Kirk's leg. Kirk grabbed Lunar and set her on the floor before standing up to approach Edd. It had only been about a month since Edd had last visited but he had started growing finally and he was finally up to Kirk's shoulders. So when Kirk took Edd in for a hug he wasn't suffocated by a pec like he used to be. 

"Edd, my boy, you've started growing, and holy shit you have hair?!" Kirk says with a full-belly laugh. Kirk is about 6 foot 4 inches and is a muscular man who does construction. He has blue eyes, and ear length blonde hair. 

"Yeah, I just kept it all hidden in my hat," Edd says while leaning on the couch arm, realizing his body is finally taking its fall. 

"I heard you got beat up by that Busch guy's kid. He's a real doucher so I could see his son being even worse for ware. Are you alright? You got one hell of a shiner." Kirk inquires curiously. 

"Yeah well, it was actually my fault, I picked a fight with the wrong guy and got my ass handed to me. I guess you can say I won't be doing that again. But just a concussion and a messed up rib. Heavy bruising and major fatigue but that's just gonna have to heal with time." Edd explains while catching his breath.

"Hey, I kind of heard you singing outside. You've still got a good voice, you should join choir! I'm sure you'd be a star." Kirk says with a smile. Kirk doesn't admit it much but he was in a band when he was in his early 20's and he has a profound love for all the fine arts. Being a construction worker was the farthest thing in life he thought he would wind up being but he doesn't regret it. 

"Thanks, I'm not that good though. I'll probably check into it, but I'm sure I'll just end up going to the quiz bowl, and mathlete's tournament again." Edd said while chuckling. "Where's Lin?" Edd asked realizing he hadn't seen the short Asian woman anywhere yet. 

"She's in the kitchen, where else could you find her?" Kirk says with a grin reaching ear to ear. Kirk also had another profound love for sweets, which makes it a good thing that Lin loves baking. Edd stands up shakily and slightly staggers himself to the kitchen where he does, in fact, see Lin at the counter. He grabs a chair and watches as she throws some flour on the counter.

"What are ya making Lin?" Ed asks her. She hadn't heard Edd come into the kitchen and he gives her quite a fright. 

"NANTEKOTTA I?(What the hell)" She yells as she turns around. Lin doesn't swear in English since it isn't her first language, but hearing her spout off Japanese is always funny because you know it isn't normally a compliment. As soon as she see's Eddward her face lights up and she comes over to him while wiping her hands on the light pink apron she's wearing.

"Eddward you've grown!" She says this everytime she sees him, so he's never sure if she means it or if she's trying to build his confidence. She takes his face in her hands and kisses both of his cheeks. 

"You look so handsome with your hair out of your hat. Not that you weren't handsome before, but oh my stars I could just make a doll out of you!" She says staring at his face intently. She finally wraps her arms around him lightly and says, "It's been too long Edd, please don't be a stranger and stop by more. I miss you." Lin used to tell him all the time 'he was the son she never had.' According to Rikku, Lin became unable to carry anymore more children and after trying multiple times to become pregnant, she had a miscarriage almost 6 months in and lost her little boy. She had suffered from mild depression afterwards. So when Edd came into their lives and pretty much became another addition to the family, her depression fits came less often. Which Edd felt nice about being able to help in some kind of way. Even if it was very indirect. 

"I'll start coming back over more often, Lin. I'm sorry for being such a stranger lately I've been going through some things." He said while hugging her back before they released each other. 

"Good," She said while smiling widely. "Would you like a snickerdoodle? I've been testing new recipes and I think this is the best one so far!" She says while shoving one in his face. He takes the soft, golden brown, confectionary treat and takes a bite. Cinnamon sugary good spreads across his tongue in a flavor explosion. 

"Lin I'll take every batch you wanna throw away because these are fantastic!" Edd says while pushing the rest of the cookie in his mouth. He hadn't thought about this but he hadn't eaten since lunchtime a day and a half ago, and he was starving. Lin smiles graciously and walks back to the counter. She grabs a Tupperware and piles several dozen cookies into the tote. 

"These are all just cookies I made today, I was going to have Rikku run you some when you got out of the hospital but I wasn't sure if you were home yet." She says as she hands the container to him. "These should help you feel better." Her smile contagiously finding itself spreading to Edd's face too as he gives her a big grin as he takes the cookie container. Rikku appears in the kitchen only to pop open his container and snag a cookie for herself. She smiled at cookie after taking a bite. 

"These are the best ones yet mom! Are you really giving them to nerd bird? I hope your gonna make some more since dad ate all the other ones before I got to have any." Rikku says with a huff before sticking the rest of the cookie into her mouth. 

"Hey, how would you feel about having dinner with us next Friday?" Lin asks sheepishly while staring at the ground.

"Lin, I would love to eat your delicious cooking on Friday. Are you sure you can make enough food to fill me up, is the real question?" He jokes with a wink when she raises her head in excitement. "Just let Rikku know when to have me drop by and bug you guys and you know I'll be here." Edd smiles, Rikku's family is so much warmer and inviting then his own was. He really enjoyed the time he spent over here. 

"Sounds great! I'll cook all your favorites, so be ready!" She says with a determined face. 

"Alright, well I'm probably going to go relax for a while since my body feels really weak. Thank you for the cookies, they are really good Lin. I'll see you next Friday if not a little sooner." He says while smiling brightly at her and waving a goodbye as he stood up and starts walking out of the kitchen. When he gets to the living room both Lunar and Jinx are sitting in front of the door. Edd gives them both a pat and a scratch before gentle scooting them out of the way. Edd would have said goodbye to Kirk but he seems to have left his Lazyboy chair. Once Edd and Rikku step outside she hands him a pack of cigarettes.

"Just take it, but I'll have to charge ya for the next one," She says with a wink. "Do you want me to help you carry this stuff home?" She doesn't really wait for a response as she starts folding the camping chair and grabs his bass. 

"I suppose I do want your help. I'll just grab my amp and cord." Edd says feeling a little useless. He hobbles behind her as they walk to his house. When they approach the front door Edd opens it for her and she put his things down in the chair next to the door. 

"So, uh, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" She asks him nervously. 

"Yeah, if I don't end up getting stuck in bed," Edd says half-joking. "So, um, I don't really know if you want to keep the song paper but you can have it." He says to her.

"I'd love to keep it...but I have a question." She says to him. 

"I have a question first actually," Edd says almost interrupting her. "I know I'm got some shit to figure out still before I probably get back to being 'normal' me or whatever. But that doesn't mean I don't know what I want. I have my priorities straightened out, even if it took me a while. I know I look like trash because I thought getting Caleb to beat me up would somehow make you forgive me, but could you do the honor, of being my girlfriend?" Edd asked Rikku while taking her hands in his. She looked like she was about to cry again. 

"Eddward, I would love too." She said while closing the distance between the two of them by kissing Edd on the cheek. Edd wrapped his arms around the short and small girl. He exhaled as if the weight of the world was removed from his shoulders. 

"I was honestly so nervous that you were going to reject me at your doorstep, I never thought it was going to go this smoothly. I really hate fighting with you Rikku. So let's not do that anymore." Edd says wearing a goofy smile. 

"I hate fighting with you too Edd. So just talk to me from now on, don't keep trying to do this on your own." She says before breaking out of the embrace. "I should probably get back to the house now though." She opens the front door and smiles. "I'll see you tomorrow, nerd bird." 

Edd follows her outside and sits on his porch. Knowing fully that he shouldn't be making it obvious that he was smoking being under age, but also just so damn relieved that it was the last thing on his mind right now. He lit his cigarette and then got lost in thought about Rikku until Eddy finally showed back up and the two boys gamed until the night was over.


End file.
